Musical master of ceremonies Jools Holland and his acclaimed Rhythm & Blues Orchestra have announced their annual musical excursion around the UK and Ireland for 2018.

Highlights of the 35-date tour, now in its 23rd year, include two performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 30 November and 1 December, along with arena shows in Dublin’s 3Arena on 20 October, Aberdeen’s BHGE Arena on 22 November, Leeds’ First Direct Arena on 14 December, Brighton Centre on 15 December and Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on 22 December.

Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond will be accompanying Jools for the 2018 autumn/winter UK tour as a special guest, *with the exception of 1 December at the Royal Albert Hall where Chris Difford and Pauline Black & Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson of The Selecter will join Jools and the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra on stage instead.

In his 36-year career, Marc has sold over 30 million records worldwide with his list of hit songs including ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, ‘Touch’ and, of course, ‘Tainted Love’. Marc has also collaborated with the likes of Gene Pitney, Tony Visconti and Burt Bacharach, as well as Jools who Marc previously toured with in 2014. He was awarded an OBE this year for his services to arts and culture.

Previous special guests who have performed alongside Jools on his UK tours include the likes of Lulu, Joss Stone, Roland Gift, Melanie C and most recently José Feliciano who released a joint album with Jools in November 2017, ‘As You See Me Now’.

Also performing with Jools will be the supremely talented vocalists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall as well as original Squeeze member Gilson Lavis on drums with the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. With a tremendous collection of Jools compositions and boogie-woogie classics to choose from, Jools’ annual UK tour is set to be an unforgettable night out that will delight both Jools and Marc Almond fans and have audiences on their feet!

Tickets for Jools’ spring/summer shows for 2018, including Hampton Court Palace Festival and Kew the Music, are also available to purchase now.

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